Today was an incredibly long day. I think I start most of my posts with the word “Today”. Anyway…

I went down to MINDSville to help out for the Family Day for the children living in the hostel. My duties included marking attendance of the relatives and carrying out palm-printing. Mainly just helping out wherever I could.

While I marked the attendance of the family members and watched the families interact, I could tell that a number of families weren’t as complete, and some were a little complex. I was trying to imagine what it was like for parents who couldn’t live with their child. And siblings who had to deal with not having much opportunities to bond with their brother/sister.

I was quite impressed by the way the siblings who came cared for their sibling (you get what I mean..). Forgive me if this sounds harsh, but let’s say you are a younger sibling and your older sibling doesn’t quite act like an older sibling… Well, from what I saw, nevertheless, the younger siblings who came were really understanding and patient with their older brother/sister. I don’t know how to describe this impact on me in words, but what I saw was unforgettable.

Not all the children's’ families came. Though the children are intellectually disabled, they do have feelings. Some were visibly sad and angry that they’re parents didn’t come. Seeing them in that situation made me feel as helpless at times. During the sharing session, one of the teachers told the children they mustn't be angry with their parents. If they can do it, I’m sure everyone else can. This question came into my mind - How do you love someone who doesn’t seem to love you?